Chapter 6 - Page 2

with "wood craft" and the

modes of making their way among savage hordes, and subsisting

themselves during long marches over wild mountains and barren

plains.

In this predicament, Captain Sublette found them, in a manner

becalmed, or rather run aground, at the little frontier town of

Independence, in Missouri, and kindly took them in tow. The two

parties travelled amicably together; the frontier men of

Sublette's party gave their Yankee comrades some lessons in

hunting, and some insight into the art and mystery of dealing

with the Indians, and they all arrived without accident at the

upper branches of the Nebraska or Platte River.

In the course of their march, Mr. Fitzpatrick, the partner of the

company who was resident at that time beyond the mountains, came

down from the rendezvous at Pierre's Hole to meet them and hurry

them forward. He travelled in company with them until they

reached the Sweet Water; then taking a couple of horses, one for

the saddle, and the other as a pack-horse, he started off express

for Pierre's Hole, to make arrangements against their arrival,

that he might commence his hunting campaign before the rival

company.

Fitzpatrick was a hardy and experienced mountaineer, and knew all

the passes and defiles. As he was pursuing his lonely course up

the Green River valley, he described several horsemen at a

distance, and came to a halt to reconnoitre. He supposed them to

be some detachment from the rendezvous, or a party of friendly

Indians. They perceived him, and setting up the war-whoop, dashed

forward at full speed: he saw at once his mistake and his

peril--they were Blackfeet. Springing upon his fleetest horse,

and abandoning the other to the enemy, he made for the mountains,

and succeeded in escaping up one of the most dangerous defiles.

Here he concealed himself until he thought the Indians had gone

off, when he returned into the valley. He was again pursued, lost

his remaining horse, and only escaped by scrambling up among the

cliffs. For several days he remained lurking among rocks and

precipices, and almost famished, having but one remaining charge

in his rifle, which he kept for self-defence.

In the meantime, Sublette and Campbell, with their fellow

traveller, Wyeth, had pursued their march unmolested, and arrived

in the Green River valley, totally unconscious that there was any

lurking enemy at hand. They had encamped one night on the banks

of a small stream, which came down from the Wind River Mountains,

when about midnight, a band of Indians burst upon their camp,